Liner hanger packer



Aug. 12, 1969 J. R. BROWN ET AL 3,460,617

LINER HANGER PACKER Filed April 5. 1967 5 Shasta-Sheet 1 A T TO/P/VEKSAug. 12, 1969 R, BROWN ET AL 3,460,617

LINER HANGER PACKER Filed April 5, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A T TORNEYSAug. 12, 1969 R, OW ET AL 3,460,617

LINER HANGER PACKER Filed April 5, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 V1355 mg xg w5 if, M

ATTORNEYS Aug. 12, 1969 J. R. BROWN ET AL 3,46 7

LINER HANGER PAGKER Filed April 5, 1967 v I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 J05 R BROWNA T 7' ORNE Y5 Aug. 12, 1969 J. R. BROWN ET AL 3,460,617

LINER HANGER PACKER Filed April 5, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 MOE R. sRow/v yJAMES nmww 13 y W a A T TORNE Y5 ii United States Patent M 3,460,617LINER HAN GER PACKER Joe R. Brown and James W. Montgomery, Houston,Tex., assignors to Brown Oil Tools, Inc, Houston, Tex. Filed Apr. 5,1967, Ser. No. 628,632 Int. Cl. E21b 33/129, 23/00 US. Cl. 166-124 11Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention Thepresent invention relates generally to an improved liner hanger.

In production of well fluids from well bores, it is desirable to set aliner in the well bore adjacent the pro ducing formation and in someinstallations to seal between the exterior of the liner and the interiorof the well bore. It is often desirable to set the liner hanger and beable to pull the pipe string on which it is run without having to alsopull the liner hanger. Further, it is desirable that the liner hangermay be unset and pulled from the well bore with the pipe string.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved,retrievable liner hanger which may be left in set position in a wellbore while the tubing string is pulled. I

Another object is to provide an improved liner hanger and well packercombination which is set responsive to pressure and released bymanipulation of the tubing string to which it is connected.

A further object is to provide an improved liner hanger which is sethydraulically and may be released by rotation or lifting of the tubingstring to which it is connected.

Still another object is to provide an improved liner hanger which whenset, is locked in set position to allow the tubing string to be pulledwithout releasing the liner hanger.

A still further object is to provide an improved retrievable combinationliner hanger and well packer which combination utilizes forces resultingfrom pressure differentials across its packing when set, to reinforcethe original setting forces and thereby assure that it remains set untilpositively released.

Another object is to provide an improved pressure responsive settingtool for use in setting the liner hanger of the present invention.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention arehereinafter described with reference to the preferred form of thepresent invention illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a detailed partial longitudinal sectional view of the deviceof the present invention in running position with the liner portionthereof not shown.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view illustrating the setting of the deivce shownin FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is another similar view showing the release of the settingtool.

FIGURE 4 is a similar view of the device with a production stringconnected thereto.

FIGURE 5 is a similar view showing one form of unsetting of the device.

3,460,617 Patented Aug. 12, 1969 FIGURE 6 is a similar view showinganother form of unsetting of the device.

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a Well bore with thepreferred form of liner hanger and well packer shown in elevation.

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal partial sectional view of the liner shown inFIGURE 7 and is drawn to illustrate the liner portion of the devicewhich is not shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 9 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 9--9 in FIGURE1.

FIGURE 10 is another transverse sectional view taken along line 10-10 inFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 11 is still another transverse sectional view of the deivce shownin FIGURE 1 taken along line 11- 11.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the preferred form of thepresent invention, an improved retrievable combination liner hanger andwell packer, is illustrated in FIGURES 1, 7 and 8 in running position.As best seen from FIGURE 7, the liner hanger well packer is adapted tobe run into a well bore B and to be anchored within the lower portion ofthe well casing C so that the liner L depends therefrom into the lowerportion of the well bore B. In running the illustrated device into thewell bore B, it is supported on the tubing: string T and connection totubing string T is provided by the setting means S.

The combination liner-hanger and well packer illustrated, includes thetubular support 10 which is secured at its upper end to the upperabutment :12 and is releasably connected at its lower end to the lowerabutment 14. The packing assembly P and the anchoring assembly A arepositioned around the tubular support 10 between the upper abutment 12and the lower abutment 14 and the liner L is supported from the lowerabutment 14 as hereinafter more fully explained.

The packing assembly P includes. the resilient packing element 16 whichsurround the tubular support 10 between the lower end of the upperabutment 12 and the upper end of the anchoring assembly A and is adaptedto be forced radially outward into sealing engagement with the interiorof casing C when it is compressed longitudinally therebetween.

The anchoring assembly A includes the upper expander 18, which has aninner shoulder adapted to be supported by the snap ring 20 on theexterior of the tubular support 10; the lower expander 22, which isadapted to be supported in running position by the external upwardlyfacing shoulder 24 on the lower end of tubular support 10; and thegripping body 26. The gripping body 26 includes the central body ring 28surrounding the tubular support 10 and supported in running position bythe snap ring 30 and a plurality of fingers 32 spaced apart andextending upwardly and downwardly from the body ring 28 with each fingerhaving an external tooth surface or gripping element 34 adapted to bemoved into gripping engagement with the interior of the casing C. Eachof the expanders 18 and 22 is provided with a wedge-shaped suifaceadapted to engage a similar tapered surface on the underside of each ofthe fingers 32 to wedge the outermost portion of the fingers and theirgripping slips 34 into engagement with the interior of the casing. Asshown, the shear pins 36 connect the upwardly extending fingers to theupper expander 18 to prevent inadvertent setting of the anchoringassembly and similarly the shear pin 38 connects the downwardlyextending fingers 32 to the lower expander 22. The lower expander 22 isshown threadedly connected to the lower abutment 14. The interior of thelower abutment 14 is provided with the threads 40.

The releasable locking means 42 include the split ring 44 and theback-up ring 46. The split ring 44 is positioned in surrounding relationto the backing ring 46 in a tapered portion thereof. It should be notedthat the taper on the exterior of the backing ring 46 is tapereddownwardly and outwardly. The exterior of the split ring 44 is providedwith teeth adapted to engage in the threads 40 on the interior of thelower abutment 14. On setting, however, the split ring 44 is adapted toratchet downwardly over the internal threads 40, thus allowing adownward movement of the upper abutment 12 and the tubular support toset the packing and anchoring assemblies as hereinafter explained. Theshear pin 48 connects the backing ring 46 to the lower extremity of thetubular support 10.

As best seen from FIGURES 1 and 8, the lower abutment 14 is connected bythe collar 50 and the sleeve 52 to the liner L. The upper end of theliner L is provided with the external ring 54 positioned within thesleeve 52 and providing a downwardly facing shoulder 56 which is adaptedto engage the upwardly facing shoulder 58 on the internal ring 60, whichis threaded into the lower end of the sleeve 52. Strips 62 are securedto the upper exterior of the liner L and extend through slots in thering 60 to allow for relative longitudinal movement between the liner Land the sleeve 52.

The shoe 64 is connected to the lower end of the liner L and is providedwith the usual ports 66 and the valve 68 which allow flow downwardlythrough the shoe but prevent flow upwardly therethrough. The liner Ldefines a plurality of perforations 70 through which well fluids mayfreely enter the liner L.

In running the combined liner-hanger and well packer into the well, itis supported from the tubing string T by the setting means S. Thesetting means S includes the upper collar 72; the outer sleeve 74connected thereto and depending therefrom; the inner sleeve 76, which isconnected to the outer sleeve 74 by the annular ring 73; and the piston,generally designated as 80 which is adapted to be positioned within thecylinder 82 defined between inner and outer sleeves 74 and 76. Thepiston 80 defines at its upper end the upwardly facing seat 84 and isprovided with external packing 86 adapted to seal against the interiorof sleeve 74 and internal packing 88 adapted to seal against theexterior of sleeve 76. A plurality of push rods 90 are secured to thepiston 80, extend downwardly through suitable holes in the annular ring78 and terminate in holes in the ring 92 which is adapted to engage theupper end of upper abutment 12 to transmit the downward movement of thepiston 80 thereto and to move the upper abutment 12 and the tubularsupport 10 downwardly to effect a setting of the packing and anchoringassemblies. The interior of the upper abutment 12 is recessed as at 94and includes the pins 96 which are adapted to engage in suitable J-slotson the exterior of a production string for the reasons hereinafter setforth.

The lower end of the inner sleeve 76 is connected to the sleeve 98 whichextends downwardly therefrom into sealing engagement through the sealring 100, which is suitably secured within the liner L at a positionbelow the perforations 70. The sleeve 76 is secured to the lowerabutment 14 by the connecting ring 102. It should be noted thatconnecting ring 102 is secured to the inner sleeve 76 by the usual typethreads but is threadedly secured to lower abutment 14 by the threads104 which are relatively friction free as compared to the usual threads,whereby when tubing string T is rotated to release the setting tool S,it unthreads the threads 104 rather than any other threads in thestructure. If desired, these threads may be left-hand threads to assurethat they will release on releasing right-hand rotation of the tubingstring T.

In operation, the well tool of the present invention is lowered throughthe well casing to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7 on the tubingstring T to position the anchoring assembly A immediately within thelower end of the casing string C and to position the liner L within thewell bore B below the lower extremity of the casing C. In this position,the well may be washed by circulating suitable fluids downwardly throughthe tubing string T. These fluids pass through the inner sleeve 76, thesleeve 98 and are discharged through the valve 68 and out through theport 66 in the shoe 64. The fluids then circulate up through the annulussurrounding the well tool and the tubing string and are discharged fromthe annulus at the surface of the well.

Thereafter, whenever it is desired to set the packing and anchoringassemblies, the ball 106 or other suitable plug is injected into thetubing string T at the surface and pumped down until it seats on theseat 84 formed by the upper edge of the piston 80. When the ball 106 isseated on the seat 84, tubing pressure is increased. This pressure isexerted across the upper portion of the piston 80 and forces the pistondownwardly with respect to outer sleeve and inner sleeve 76. Thismovement moves the push rods 90, the ring 92 and the upper abutment 12downwardly with respect to the lower abutment 14. The relative movementof the upper abutment 12 and the tubular support 10 downwardly with thelower abutment held stationary, shears the shear pins 36 and 38 andcauses the expanders 18 and 22 to wedge underneath the outer ends of thefingers 32 to force the gripping slips 34 into gripping engagement withthe interior of the casing C and also compresses the packing element 16longitudinally so that it expands radially outward into sealingengagement with the interior of the casing C. Thus the packing andanchoring assemblies are set.

Additionally, during such setting, the downward movement of tubularsupport 10 sets the locking means 42 by moving the backing ring 46downwardly. The split ring 44 initially remains stationary until engagedby the lower end of the tubular support 10 and then is moved downwardlywith respect to the lower abutment 14 since it is compressible inwardly,its ends being spacedapart as at 45 to avoid engagement of the teeth 40on the interior of the lower abutment 14. It should be noted that theteeth 40 are slanted downwardly to facilitate this ratcheting movementof the split ring 14 downwardly. In this downward position, the teeth onthe split ring 44 engage the teeth 40 on the lower abutment 14 to lockthe packing and anchoring assemblies in set position until positivelyreleased as hereiuafter set forth. During setting, the lower abutment 14is restrained from moving down by its direct connection to the tubingstring T through the collar 72, the outer sleeve 74, the annular ring78, the inner sleeve 76, and the connecting ring 102.

In this set position, the liner L is supported by the engagement of theanchoring assembly A with the interior of the casing C. It should benoted, however, that the sleeve 98 effectively blocks off theperforations 70 so that to commence production of the well fluids fromthe well bore B, the setting tool S must be removed. This isaccomplished by rotating the tubing string to unthread the connectingring 102 from the lower abutment 14. This position is illustrated inFIGURE 3. From this position, the tubing string T and the setting tool Smay be thereafter pulled from the well bore. It should be noted thatpulling of the setting tool S does not in any way release the setposition of the packing and anchoring assemblies since the releasablelocking means 42 including the engagement of the teeth on split ring 44with the teeth 40 on the interior of the lower abutment 14 prevent anymovement of the tubular support 10 and upper abutment 12 away from thelower abutment 14. The inner taper on the backing ring 46 is such thatany force tending to move the tubular support 10 upwardly causes thesplit ring 44 to be more tightly wedged into engagement with the threads40 thereby assuring that the set position of the packing and anchoringassemblies is maintained. The port defined in the outer sleeve 74provides conununication from the interior to the exterior of the settingtool S to facilitate its removal after setting.

readily from FIGURE 4, by rotation of the production string T-1 in aclockwise direction at the surface. The collar 108 is provided withsuitable external packing 110 to seal against the interior of tubularsupport and assure that there is no leakage into the annulus above thepacking element 16 during the production of well fluids therethrough.

Whenever it is desired to release the packing and anchoring assembliesand to remove the well tool from the Well bore, it is only necessary torotate the tubing string to cause the threads on split ring 44 to moveupwardly on the threads 40 of the lower abutment 14. This movement movesthe tubular support 10 upwardly whereby the packing element 16 isrelaxed. Further upward movement of the tubular support 10 brings thesnap ring 20 into engagement with the upper expander 18 and pulls itfrom under the upper fingers 32 of the anchoring assembly and the snapring 30 into engagement with the body ring 28 to pull the lower fingers32 oil the lower expander 22. Also, the upper abutment 12 is movedupwardly to allow packing element 16 to relax. Once this isaccomplished, the packing and anchoring assemblies are completely unsetand the complete well tool may be removed from the well bore by liftingthe production string T-1. This release position is clearly illustratedin FIGURE 5.

If difficulty is encountered in this type of release, it is possible torelease the packing and anchoring assemblies simply by exerting anupward force on the production string T-1 suflicient to shear the shearpin 48. Thereafter, since the locking means 42 of the split ring 44 andthe threads 40 connecting the tubular support 10 to the lower abutment14 is completely released, the lifting of the production string T-1causes the upper abutment 12 and the tubular support 10 to be lifted andrelease of the packing and anchoring assemblies to unset position takesplace as previously described. This unset position is shown in FIGURE 6.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides anew liner hanger which may be readily set by a hydraulic setting toolwithin a well bore to position the liner below the lower end of the wellcasing. The liner hanger includes, whenever desired, a packing elementto seal between the exterior of the tool and the interior of the wellcasing. Further, this tool remains in set position when the setting toolis removed and is adapted to receive a production string and to bereleasable either by rotation of the production string or by a straightupward force exerted by the production string on the upper abutment forcomplete removal of the well tool from the well bore whenever desired.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention areillustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size,shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustratedconstruction, may be made within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A liner hanger adapted to be set in a well bore, comprising a tubularsupport defining an upper external abutment and means for releasablyconnecting a well string thereto,

an anchoring assembly mounted on said tubular support and havinggripping elements adapted to be moved outwardly into pipe grippingposition,

a lower abutment,

means connecting said lower abutment to said tubular support and adaptedto allow relative setting movement therebetween and to releasably locksaid tubular support to said lower abutment when said anchoring assemblyis set,

means on said lower abutment for releasably connecting a well stringthereto,

said upper and lower abutments adapted to be moved relative to eachother to set said anchoring assembly, and

a liner connected to and depending below said lower abutment,

said connecting means being released from locking said tubular supportto said lower abutment responsive to movement of said tubular supportwhereby said anchoring assembly is released from set position and saidliner hanger may be retrieved from the well bore.

2. A liner hanger according to claim 1, wherein said connecting meansbetween said lower abutment and said tubular support includes,

a backing ring having an external recess and being connected to saidtubular support,

a split ring having external threads and adapted to be positioned partlywithin said recess in said backing rlng,

said lower abutment defining internal threads adapted to engage theexternal threads on said split ring to lock said tubular support to saidlower abutment when said anchoring assembly is in set position and toallow said tubular support to be threaded upwardly to unset saidanchoring assembly.

3. A liner hanger according to claim 2, wherein said backing ring isreleasably connected to said tubular support whereby said connectionbetween said tubular support and said lower abutment when said anchoringassembly is set may be released by an. upward pull on said tillbularsupport to thereby unset said anchoring assemb y.

4. A liner hanger according to claim 3, wherein said recess in saidbacking ring is tapered downwardly and outwardly whereby said split ringmay move straight downward with respect to said threads on said lowerabutment but is wedged by said taper against said threads on said lowerabutment after setting movement to hold said tubular support in setposition with respect to said lower abutment.

5. A liner hanger according to claim 1, including a packing assemblymounted on said tubular support and having a packing element adapted tobe set with the setting of said anchoring assembly and unset with theunsetting of said anchoring assembly.

6. A liner hanger according to claim 1, including a. setting tooladapted to releasably engage said upper abutment and said connectingmeans on said lower abutment to achieve relative movement between saidabutments to set said anchoring assembly,

means on said setting tool for connecting to a well string whereby saidhanger may be supported on a well string for lowering into a well bore,and

said well string connecting means on said tubular support providingconnection to a production string when said anchoring assembly has beenset and said setting tool released and removed from said well bore.

7. A liner hanger adapted to be set in a well bore, comprising a tubularsupport defining an upper external abutment and means for releasablyconnecting a well string thereto,

an anchoring assembly mounted on said tubular support and having anupper expander, a lower expander and gripping elements therebetweenadapted to be moved outwardly into pipe-gripping position,

means connected to said lower expander to allow movement of said tubularsupport downwardly through said lower expander and releasably preventupward movement of said tubular support through said lower expander,

means connected to said lower expander for releasably connecting asetting tool thereto whereby said lower expander is restrained frommoving as said tubular support is moved downwardly therethrough forsetting said anchoring assembly, and

a liner connected to and depending below said lower expander,

downward movement of said tubular support through said lower expandersetting said anchoring assembly and upward movement of said tubularsupport through said lower expander unsetting said anchoring assembly.

8. A liner hanger according to claim 7, including a setting tool adaptedto set said liner hanger,

a shoe connected in the lower end of said liner and defining portscommunicating therethrough,

a valve in said shoe preventing flow of fluids inwardly through saidports,

said liner defining perforations communicating from the exterior to theinterior of said liner, and

means associated with said liner and adapted to cooperate with saidsetting tool to prevent flow of fluids through said liner.

9. As a subcombination with a liner hanger having an upper abutment, alower abutment, a liner depending from said lower abutment, a tubularsupport and an anchoring assembly,

a setting tool comprising,

an inner sleeve,

an outer sleeve,

an annular cylinder defined by said inner and outer sleeves,

an annular piston positioned in said cylinder and defining an internalseat,

said piston adapted to move responsive to fluid pressure above said seatand to engage said upper abutment to set said anchoring assembly,

means releasably connecting one of said sleeves to said lower abutment,

means on one of said sleeves for connecting to a well string on whichsaid liner hanger and said setting tool are lowered into a well bore.

10. The subcombination according to claim 9, wherein said liner definesperforations,

said inner sleeve extends downwardly through and in sealing relationshipto said liner to prevent flow of fluids through said perforations whilesaid setting tool remains connected to said liner hanger.

11. A liner hanger adapted to be set in a well bore,

comprising an upper abutment,

a tubular support connected to said upper abutment,

an anchoring assembly mounted on said tubular support and having anupper expander, a lower expander and gripping elements adapted to bemoved outwardly by said expanders into pipe-gripping position,

means on said tubular support adapted to support said lower expander inrunning position,

a lower abutment connected to said lower expander,

a liner connected to and depending from said lower abutment,

threaded locking means releasably secured to said tubular support andadapted to connect to said lower abutment to resist upward movement ofsaid tubular support wtih respect to said lower abutment,

said lower abutment defining low friction internal threads which areadapted to receive a setting tool,

said anchoring assembly being set by a force exerted downwardly on saidupper abutment while said lower expander is held against movement,

said anchoring assembly being unset by rotation of said upper abutmentto thread said locking means upwardly on said lower abutment and liftingsaid upper abutment to unset said anchoring assembly,

said anchoring assembly also being unset by lifting said upper abutmentto disconnect said threaded locking means from said tubular support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,606,402 11/1926 Crowell l662083,342,268 9/1967 Brown 166124 JAMES A. LEPPINK, Primary Examiner US. Cl.X.R.

